HB4274 EngrossedLRB103 35300 CES 65342 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
5Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6amended by adding Section 2310-666 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-666 new)
8    Sec. 2310-666. Tick removal guidelines and form.
9    (a) The Department shall do all of the following no later
10than July 1, 2025:
11        (1) Issue guidelines on how to remove and safely store
12    a tick.
13        (2) Publish the guidelines issued under paragraph (1)
14    and the model form issued under paragraph (4) on the
15    Department's website.
16        (3) Provide public testing lab information to schools.
17    The lab must have the capability to provide test results
18    to the parents or guardians of students.
19        (4) Issue a model form as provided in subsection (b)
20    that schools shall send to the parents or guardians of
21    students who have been identified as having been bitten by
22    a tick.
23        (5) Make available to schools, upon request and free

 

 

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1    of charge, tick removal kits consisting of tweezers,
2    bandages, a sealable plastic bag, an alcohol wipe,
3    repellent wipes, an information card, and a tick
4    identification card.
5    (b) The initial form issued by the Department under
6paragraph (4) of subsection (a) shall be in substantially the
7following form and may be updated by the Department based on
8recommendations from the Lyme Disease Task Force as necessary:
9        "This letter is to inform you that a tick was found and
10    removed from (student's name) (location on body) on
11    (date).
12        Due to the high incidences of tick-borne diseases
13    discovered in Illinois through tick surveillance, the
14    school will, at your request as the parent or guardian,
15    preserve the tick for up to 3 school days so that you may
16    send the tick to a lab for testing. At your request, a
17    handout will be given to you providing information on how
18    you may submit the tick to a lab for testing. However, you
19    may give the school permission to dispose of the tick
20    before the 3 school-day period has expired. After 3 school
21    days, the school may dispose of the tick.
22        Ticks found in Illinois and other nearby states carry
23    germs that can transmit disease and make people sick. When
24    ticks bite and attach, the likelihood of exposure to Lyme
25    disease increases with the length of time the tick is
26    attached. Symptoms of Lyme disease include a bullseye rash

 

 

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1    or atypical rash, chills, fever, headache, tiredness,
2    stiff neck, joint pain or swelling, and swollen lymph
3    nodes. A bullseye rash occurs only in 70% to 80% of
4    infected persons.
5        The most common illnesses caused by ticks that bite
6    and attach for less than 24 hours include spotted fever
7    group rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis.
8    Symptoms of these illnesses may be similar to Lyme disease
9    but may also include spotted rash, nausea, vomiting,
10    diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
11        It is recommended that you call your child's health
12    care provider if you notice any signs or symptoms of
13    illness, such as a skin rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms
14    for up to one month following the tick bite. Most
15    tickborne diseases can be treated with antibiotics if
16    recognized and diagnosed promptly.
17        For more information about ticks and how to prevent
18    bites visit: (the Department of Public Health's website on
19    tickborne illnesses). If you have any questions regarding
20    your child's health, call your child's health care
21    provider.
22        Sincerely,
23        (Signature)
24        (Title)"
 
25    Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Sections

 

 

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110-20.87 and 34-18.87 as follows:
 
2    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.87 new)
3    Sec. 10-20.87. Tick removal.
4    (a) Before the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year,
5each school board shall establish procedures on tick removal
6consistent with guidelines developed by the Department of
7Public Health under Section 2310-666 of the Department of
8Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil
9Administrative Code of Illinois.
10    (b) If a tick is removed at a school, the school shall, at
11the request of a parent or guardian, preserve the tick for up
12to 3 school days so that the parent or guardian may send the
13tick to a lab for testing and shall, at the request of a parent
14or guardian, provide information to the parent or guardian on
15how to send the tick to a lab for testing. However, the parent
16or guardian may give the school permission to dispose of the
17tick before the 3 school-day period has expired.
18    (c) A school district and its employees and agents may not
19be held liable, except for willful or wanton conduct, as a
20result of any injury arising from the removal of a tick if the
21removal of the tick was conducted following the guidelines
22issued by the Department of Public Health under Section
232310-666 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties
24Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.87 new)
2    Sec. 34-18.87. Tick removal.
3    (a) Before the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, the
4board shall establish procedures on tick removal consistent
5with guidelines developed by the Department of Public Health
6under Section 2310-666 of the Department of Public Health
7Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of
8Illinois.
9    (b) If a tick is removed at a school, the school shall, at
10the request of a parent or guardian, preserve the tick for up
11to 3 school days so that the parent or guardian may send the
12tick to a lab for testing and shall, at the request of a parent
13or guardian, provide information to the parent or guardian on
14how to send the tick to a lab for testing. However, the parent
15or guardian may give the school permission to dispose of the
16tick before the 3 school-day period has expired.
17    (c) The school district and its employees and agents may
18not be held liable, except for willful or wanton conduct, as a
19result of any injury arising from the removal of a tick if the
20removal of the tick was conducted following the guidelines
21issued by the Department of Public Health under Section
222310-666 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties
23Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.